


Finding Your Way Down the Road

by anarchycox



Series: 20,000 Roads [9]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Fluff, Love, M/M, bit of angst, lots of talks, presenting your dynamic, supportive families are supportive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-06-03 04:37:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6596914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All kids grow up, and Dean and Benny have to deal with it no matter how much they wish they would stay kids. The Winchester Lafitte family deals with puberty and their children presenting their dynamics. Easy on paper, less easy when you are this family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi folks, it seemed I had one more story to tell here. I hope you enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is about Emma and after she has returned to the family after all the custody stuff and is almost a year after she first was found on the road.
> 
> Warning I guess, Dean will be in the room when Emma has a heat as support as an omega. It is completely nonsexual, but you know head's up. It is a brief scene.

"Mrs. Richardson, you wanted to see me?" Emma asked. Dean was going to be waiting for her and she didn't want to keep him waiting.

"Just checking on you." She said. "You've all settled back in after all the troubles."

Emma could barely hold back a groan. Her custody case, absence and return had been hot gossip over the summer. The new social studies teacher was nice, but sometimes tried too hard. "Yes ma'am everything is good." Emma waited.

"I know there's been lots of transitions in your life and that it can be difficult for a young lady. If you ever have any questions, or need any help I am here for all my students."

"Uh-huh, Dean's expecting me it's taco night." Emma said and left the room.

"Dude, it's taco night, why are you late?" Dean said drumming his fingers on the wheel.

"Teacher wanted to chat." Emma said. "Tacos!!!!"

"Tacos!!!!"

***************

Emma groaned when she saw Dean and Benny. She ran up to them. "Really? Really?" She tried to adjust Dean's shirt to hide the bite marks. Benny looked ashamed. Dean did not. 

"Emma, we have five of you. Pause and reflect on how little alone time we have. The wee ones are at Charlie's for a sleepover, Adam is having an all night art marathon with Ash, and you were waiting here, so we took the long road."

"Is that what you call Benny's dick these days?" Emma grumbled.

"No Sweet Pea, I call that -" And Benny's hand wrapped over Dean's mouth.

"We're sorry Emma, we're not actually late for any of our parent teacher meetings are we?"

"No I budget in Dean is a dork time." Emma said. "All you missed was the head of the PTA." Benny and Dean sighed in relief. They hated the PTA. And the PTA hated them.

"Okay so we have Math, English, Art, Social Studies, and Biology right?" Dean asked looking at the schedule Emma gave them. "You sitting in on any of these to hear how awesome or horrible you are?" 

"No I'm a student helper, have to man my post for when parents get lost." Emma's nose scrunched and she touched her tummy. "I think the mushrooms were funny on the pizza. Stupid fancy ones."

Dean touched her head. "Little warm Sweet Pea. Want us to take you home?" 

"I'm fine, Dean." Emma rolled her eyes. They had both been a mite overprotective since her return. It was cute the first couple of months, less so recently. "Also no getting out of this."

"But parent teacher conferences are boring, I look at test scores they say my kid is brilliant but weird and blah blah blah we go home and have celebratory ice cream. Let's just skip to the ice cream."

"I like hearing how wonderful my kids are." Benny said.

"Yeah and you would put those stupid my kid... bumper stickers on the van if I let you. Don't think I don't know you have them on the fridge at work." Dean replied and Benny whistled innocently.

"Go see my math teacher." Emma pushed them in the right direction and dealt with other parents waiting. She kept a hand on her tummy. She was fine, just funky mushrooms.

***************

"This is boring." Dean whined as they waited for their turn outside the social studies room. "Emma is just wonderful, clever, personable. Yeah we know. I want ice cream."

"Told you road sex was a dumb idea, you get grumpy and hungry." Benny said quietly.

"Oh shut up." Dean said. "You loved it." 

Benny handed Dean a mini chocolate bar. "Here."

"Bestest alpha provider ever." Dean said and he kissed Benny's cheek. He thought about it. "Shit, don't we have like 16 more years of these?" His eye's widened. "You get to do Mara's."

"Oh no, we're taking that mess on together, cher." Benny said a little growl in his voice.

The other parents left the room and the new social studies teacher invited them in. "Hi I'm Amelia Richardson." She seemed a little nervous meeting them. 

"Did the PTA warn you about us?" Dean asked. "Because we brought in more money to that fundraiser than anyone else. And the allegations never stuck."

Benny hung his head. "Dean, remember we promised Emma we'd behave." He held out his hand. "Hello, I'm Benny Lafitte and this is Dean Winchester. We are Emma's parents." He tried out his best smile.

"Guardians." Amelia corrected and Benny's smile immediately went away.

"If you want to get technical not even that. She's an emancipated minor. Might as well call us her landlords as her guardians. How about you stick with parents?" Benny suggested. "Now tell us your standard speech and then we'll move on."

"Very well. Her marks are fine, she participates well, but I do have some concerns." Amelia said. "She should consider counseling."

Benny looked at Dean who shrugged, equally clueless.

"I have a Master's in Psychology and the trauma she's dealt with over the last year, it could haunt her." 

Dean looked at her. "You mean well so we're going to let go the suggestion that we can't help our daughter and say thank you and be off." Dean stood and so did Benny.

"Look you may not want to see it but she's going to need help, and you can't just understand what she's gone through."

Benny wrapped his hand firmly over Dean's bite mark, mainly to hold him in place.

"Ma'am all due respect, Emma needs help she just needs to ask. We've seen her through hell, Dean was willing to lay his life down for her and any question we can't answer we got tons of back up." Benny said. "Now Emma decides you are someone to confide it, that is her choice and we'll respect it but otherwise we'll all leave each other be."

The teacher opened her mouth to protest some more when a student came tearing in. "Dean, Emma is sick!" Megan said. Dean bolted out the door and down to where he had last seen Emma. He caught a scent and swore. "Shit, she's on suppressants she should be fine." He kept moving to where there were teachers blocking a bathroom from some young alphas trying to get in. Dean snarled and Benny roared and all the teens cleared a path terrified.

Benny and Dean went into the bathroom, where one of Emma's friends was sitting with her. Dean approached slowly and Benny stayed at the door.

"Benny call Dr. Barnes, see what went wrong with Emma's suppressant." Dean said. He sat on the ground a couple feet away. "Sweet Pea? I'm here babe, you called, I came."

Emma looked up from her friend's lap. "I threw up Dean." She whimpered. "Hurts."

Dean looked at her friend and nodded and they helped move Emma to Dean's lap.

Mrs Richardson came into the room. "Oh sweetie, I'm here, I can help you." 

Emma whimpered some more and clung to Dean. "Dean I'm on drugs, this shouldn't happen."

"I know Sweet Pea, Benny's talking to Pam."

"You forced her onto drugs? What sort of people are you?" Mrs Richardson began to get worked up. "She's young to be on any, and what you decided it made your lives easier not to deal with the hassle of teen heats? Might interrupt all the sex you two have, I suppose." She took a breath ready to continue.

"Oh shut your pie hole." Emma said. She then threw up again, this time on Dean.

"Hah and you made fun of all the layers I wear, see makes sense now doesn't it? Trick I learned when taking care of Sammy, always was a puker." Dean said as he stripped the flannel shirt off. "Also, as clueless an idiot as she is, your teacher does seem to want to help you. She's just suffering from the belief that she knows what is best for you, because she read like a heavy book once that she paid full price for, so be nice."

Amelia looked ready to yell but Benny cut in over her. "Pam said her body is rejecting this particular drug, happens in rare cases. But when it does, it's a rough painful heat. Pam said best thing is to keep another omega with her, the sympathetic scent should help."

"I'll take her home with me." Amelia said.

Emma clung to Dean. "Want Dean." She began to cry. "I look stupid and gross."

"Yup, there's snot and vomit, and your breath is vile." Dean agreed.

"Mr. Winchester!" Amelia said shocked, but Emma and her friend both giggled.

"Wait for it." Benny said quietly.

Dean stood up, pulling Emma up with him. He then picked her up and held her close like she was one of the toddlers. "But Sweet Pea, still most beautiful girl in all the land. Gonna get you home and cleaned up and all okay. Promise."

"Pinky?"

"Swear on Baby, I'll make it right as rain." Dean said.

"Okay." Emma lay her head on his shoulder.

"Lady get out of my way so I can get my daughter home and all better." Dean said.

She looked at Emma who was so trusting on Dean, the friend on the ground who was perfectly calm. "Of course. I'm sorry." Amelia said and stepped to the side. Benny opened the door and Dean walked out with Emma, the crowd having been dispersed.

"Ma'am, I do believe you were trying to be helpful." Benny said. "I really do, but you seemed to be under the impression that you knew what was right and what was best for my family without actually talking to my family. Don't do it again."

"Or what?" She tried for a last bit of defiance.

"Or I let Dean and Emma destroy you. And I laugh while watching. Enjoy the rest of your conferences, I need to get them home safe." Benny tipped his hat a bit and went to the car where Dean was hugging her in the back.

"It smells like icky parent sex back here." Emma complained.

"Smells good to me." Dean said.

"Well you are one of the icky parents." Emma shivered. "Hot and cold."

"Benny will break records getting us home." Dean promised and Benny did.

*********************

The next two days were rough, Benny making sure the other kids were all bunked down at other locations, just so they didn't hear Emma crying and even screaming a little. He spent a lot of time outside, walking, even going through the woods to the small pond to fish. He made sure there was plenty of drinks and food for the two and just wished he could make it better.

Dean for his part was just trying to help. He had tried to give Emma her privacy but her body was going haywire and the close scent of another omega helped the worst of it. So Dean helped her shower and stayed in the room and tried to go deaf and blind when he needed to and when she screamed in frustration and pain. He crawled onto the bed and rubbed her hair, let his scent soothe her as much as it could. 

At one point Emma had some porn on. "This is stupid. Is this what sex is like?" She was just so wrung out.

"Can be. Though generally I find it doesn't require the limbering up that has to happen before they start filming porn." Dean said. "It's...closer...porn has this distance so you can see everything, the real deal, you can feel their heart."

"That sounds better." Emma said. She finished a high cycle and Dean gave her a few minutes to calm before picking her up and carrying her into the shower where he just sat on the ground and held her, hoping the tepid water would make her feel at least not worse. 

Finally it was all done and Emma was having proper rest. Dean went and had a long shower upstairs after getting Emma's sheets into the wash. Benny knocked and waited for Dean's call.

"How is she?" Benny asked.

"Tired, sore. Think she lost five pounds in the two days. Hell think I did too." Dean said. He leaned his head on the tile. "I couldn't make the hurt go away. Could make it a bit better but couldn't make it go away. I'm her dad, should make the pain go away. Magic dad powers."

"You did everything you could Dean, it would have been worse if you hadn't been there, if she hadn't had the comfort of another omega scent. Pam's called four times to make sure everything was okay. Wants to see Emma when Emma is ready."

"Yeah." Dean sighed. "Did we do wrong, letting her have the drugs, was it just repeating what John did to me?" 

Benny stepped into the shower and hugged Dean, not caring that he was dressed. "No. No your dad insisted and you two didn't even know what you were really taking. This was her choice, Dean,  _her choice_ , and she talked it out with Pam, with you, with Charlie, and it was the right call. It just turns out this was the wrong drug for her and Doc will fix that. Dean, you are such a good dad. Promise."

"Right. Okay. We're good at this shit. Guess we better get good. We're going to have a lot of this to deal with aren't we?" Dean groaned. "I get pie and a good glass of whiskey."

"It's 9am."

"So put the whiskey in my coffee." Dean said.

"Okay Dean, will do." Benny kissed his head.

************************

"Emma do you have a minute?" Mrs Richardson asked.

Emma sighed. "Yeah, I guess." She put her bag over her shoulder. "But it's pizza night."

"You have strangely regimented food." The teacher commented.

"Point. Get to one." Emma said. "Ma'am." she remembered to add.

"Are you okay, that was a rough experience, and must have triggered some painful memories." Mrs Richardson's voice was soothing.

"No?" Emma was confused. "I mean, I just don't get porn, but other than that don't think any problems. I mean it sucked but got through and Doctor Barnes and I had a good few talks and I'm on a different suppressant, so it's all good." Emma smiled. "I do appreciate your concern, but I'm okay. I really am."

"But you were alone."

"No Mrs. Richardson, I wasn't. I had Dean. He always comes when I call." Emma smiled. "Always." She made a face. "But bet he regrets telling me that fantasy about Benny in the football uniform, he got very little sleep and spoke a mite out of turn. So using it as blackmail - I'm in charge of next year's hallowe'en family costume." Emma did her best evil laugh.

Mrs. Richardson had no response.

Which was common when dealing with Winchesters.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam is 16

Dean walked into the back storage area of Charlie's shop and found his son. Charlie took one look at Dean's face and said, "Sorry kid." and took off running.

Dean sat across from a terrified Adam. "Got an interesting call from the school today, very concerned about your shingles and they hope you are better soon. Using the twins's chickenpox as cover to bail on classes, not sure if I'm horrified or impressed." The twins had fallen into the .5% of the population that the chicken pox vaccine didn't effectively take for and they had been sick all week.

"Dad." Adam said. He looked like he wanted to keep going but couldn't figure out the words. "I...I'm sorry."

Dean smiled. "Oh you're going to be. Get in the car." Adam started to grab his pencils and sketch book. "Leave those you aren't going to have time to art over the next few days."

"Dad?" Adam was getting nervous. They got into the car and Dean headed North. "Dad, where are we going?"

"A place you need to be right now." was all Dean said. He put on music. "Settle in this is going to take a few hours."

It was getting dark by the time they pulled up to Bobby's house. The lights were on and Bobby had opened the door. 

"Get on out Adam. I need to pee." Dean said. He walked up the porch gave Bobby a quick hug and went to the bathroom. He came out and saw Adam standing in the hallway.

"I'm sorry I skipped school Dad. I'll go back, why are you getting rid of me?" Adam sniffled a little.

Dean pulled him into a tight hug. "We are not getting rid of you. At all. Promise. All of us are going to be back on Saturday to spend the night and pick you up. But you are struggling and decided you couldn't talk to me or Papa."

Adam burrowed into Dean's shoulder. "I...just..."

"I get it, I do Adam, I told the school you would be back on Monday. Your grandpa will help you get your head on straight, always did for me." Dean kissed Adam's head. "I love you kiddo. Grandpa will help." Dean left Adam and went to the Impala where Bobby was waiting. "He's in rough shape and won't talk about it - get my kid sorted will you?"

"Tell Benny I want that caramel apple pie when the rest of you all invade." Bobby said. "Now get gone and text when you get home so I don't worry."

"Yeah yeah." Dean said as he slipped behind the wheel and took off.

Bobby walked into the house and found Adam in the kitchen. "Need some food? Got leftover chili."

"Not real hungry." Adam said.

"Go have a shower, your dad's old room has been made up for you. We'll talk in the morning." Bobby said.

Adam nodded and went upstairs. He eventually crawled into the bed that had been his dad's and stared at all the car art on the walls until he fell asleep.

In the morning Bobby's idea of a talking was asking Adam to hand him tools. "You know I don't like cars that much right?" Adam asked even as he handed over the socket. 

"You know I don't care, when a customer is waiting on this car right?" Bobby returned. "You ever do any welding yet?"

"Yeah, helped dad a bit why?" Adam asked.

"Show you this afternoon." Bobby said. "Now go change the oil in that fuck ugly Ford Focus." Adam did it and later at a sandwich with filthy fingers. In the afternoon Bobby lead Adam to a different part of the yard. There was a pile of smaller scrap, hammers and mallets and welding equipment. 

"What the hell is all this?" Adam asked.

"Scrap I can't do anything with." Bobby said. "Make me something I can hang by the entrance sign."

"I don't do sculpture, I draw Bobby." Adam said.

"Look just beat the shit out of that stuff, destroying a car always made your dad feel better. Don't light anything on fire." Bobby stalked off. Adam stared at the pile and the tools on the table. He nodded and grabbed a hammer. When Bobby heard the clang he smiled to himself. Best way to deal with a Winchester struggling was give them something to hit.

Two days later Bobby and Adam were hanging the piece Adam made out by the front entrance. "So what is it?"

"Fuck if I know." Adam said. "But it looks cool."

Bobby hit Adam up the head. "Don't swear. It does look cool though. I'll get some steaks on the grill." That night when they were in the kitchen Bobby poured Adam half a beer to go with the steak and potatoes. "Tell your dads about that and you're dead."

"Yes Grandpa." Adam said. He looked at his cut up hands. "Jeremy presented as omega." He finally said. 

"Okay. Do you like him or something?" Bobby asked.

"Nah, I like girls." Adam replied. "I...I don't think I'm going to be presenting. I'm a beta Bobby." Adam said.

"Could be a late bloomer." Bobby said.

"Dad and Sam had both presented by now, I asked." Adam said. "I'm just...nothing."

Bobby snorted, "A nothing that matches almost half the world's population. Including me."

Adam winced. "I know. I know...I always thought I'd be like Dad, I had always thought I'd be omega like him."

Bobby swallowed down most of his beer. "Is it that you feel wrong, or just that it goes against what you always guessed about how it turned out?"

Adam frowned. "I don't want to crawl out of my skin or anything. I just," Adam sighed. "I hate not having more in common with Dean and Sam."

Bobby looked at him. "You mean your dad and Sam."

"He's not my dad, Bobby, I do remember John you know. It's all faded but I remember him."

"Don't have to have birthed to be a dad, you know that, sure as you know anything." Bobby said. "You are creative like Dean, apparently can lie as well as him too, which don't think you'll have gotten away with skipping school by the way, your brain wraps around corners like Sam's does. You think how your junk is formed will make you more like them? Son, hate to break it to you, but Benny's influence can only do so much. You are a Winchester through and through."

"When was the last beta Winchester, Bobby?" Adam asked.

"I don't know, you shake your own family tree apart." Bobby grumbled. "Look, here's what I know from experience - life is hard enough and harder when you have to deal with heats and ruts and all that crap. Me I am happy to give all that a pass."

"I...some of the guys said betas don't feel things like how alphas and omegas do. That we just can't understand true passion."

Bobby laughed. "Horse shit Adam." He said plainly. "My wife died when Dean was 3. Do the math that is 30 years ago. I miss her every goddamn day and loved her so much couldn't even fathom kissing another woman let alone bring her home. You cannot tell me that some teenage pup can even begin to comprehend what I hold in my heart for her." Bobby softened his voice a little. "Adam no matter your presentation - you're a Winchester and trust my decades of dealing with you idjits - not feeling enough is never the problem."

Adam smiled a little. "Winchester men are rather a mess aren't we?"

Bobby snorted."You lot are the great trial God put in my path that's the damn truth."

"Thanks Grandpa." Adam takes a sip of the beer and makes a face. "Having something in common with you would be alright I guess."

"Cut the mushy crap." Bobby said. "Finish your steak and I'll show you how to hotwire a car. If you can beat your dad's time I'll give you 20 bucks and let you lord it over him when they all descend tomorrow."

"Sweet!" Adam said.

When the family showed up the next day Adam had indeed beaten Dean's time and Bobby couldn't have been more proud.

Dean hugged his son. "Good?"

"Yeah Dad." Adam took a breath. "I'm a beta."

"You are." Dean agreed. "Think of what you save on not having to buy sex toys to help."

"Gross Dad." But then Adam ginned. "Might just buy them for kicks though."

Bobby watched Dean tackle Adam and the roll in the dirt. "Goddamn Winchesters." But he smiled as he said it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mara

That Mara presented as alpha, surprised exactly no one. She presented at 14 and it was a rough week in the house as a female alpha always has a horrible time with their first rut. But Benny and Dr. Barnes helped her through and Dean called Jody in. When Mara was done Jody said anytime she had questions and needed to talk to someone Jody was there.

"Thanks ma'am." Mara said. "Jo texted too."

"We look after each other." Jody grinned. "I also have a punching bag in my garage." Jody got used to hearing noise in her garage, Mara and Dean showing up on the regular on weekends and holidays, Dean teaching Mara a bit and Jody came in to help after they had gone passed Dean's knowledge and Mara wanted to learn more. Dean was very game every time Jody put him on his ass, though as years passed he would regularly say he was too old for this shit. 

So Jody wasn't that surprised when she heard music come from her garage. Luckily her husband could sleep through everything, trusting that Jody would take care of it. She put on some sweat pants and head on over to see Mara standing there just pounding the bag, Dean on the ground eating pie. Jody went over and sat beside him.

"Pie for breakfast, you need to hit the bag too." She said even as she stole a bite.

"Trust me, I've earned this." Dean muttered. He fluttered his lashes, "Coffee?"

Jody looked at Mara, who's eyes were red from crying. "Yeah I'll go make a fuckton." Jody groaned as she got up. "Watch your wrists Mara."

Mara growled at her and Jody raised a brow. Mara backed down and nodded, minding her punches more. Jody went to the kitchen and came back 20 minutes later with coffee. "Jesus Dean, she's still going, you should stop her."

"Nope, you don't get in between a Winchester and a target when they look like that. Did it to dad once, on the anniversary of our Mama's death. Only time he ever hit me, was an accident but learned my lesson. Sometimes you just have to let us break ourselves on the rocks. Can't save a Winchester ship sometimes."

"Hanging out with Benny too much if you are using ship metaphors." Jody said.

"Yes, I'll get right on stepping back from my mate of 20 years." Dean snorted. "Like your mate never sounds like you."

"Sure but everything I say is gold. You just sound like an idiot." Jody replied.

Dean had never taken his eyes off of Mara. "She's winding down. Gonna hurt, have to call her in sick for school today."

"You know the VP thinks you have very sickly kids. Principal Moseley knows different but looks the other way because the fact is your kids are annoyingly smart. Guess Benny's genes won out on something."

"Har har." Dean looked at Mara unwrap her fingers. "Here we go." He said quietly. Jody nodded.

Mara came over and sat on the ground between the two of them. "Boys." She said grumpily.

Jody and Dean looked at each other over her head in surprise. Jody tossed Dean the flask she had brought out. "I'll not contribute to the delinquency of a minor." Dean poured a little into a coffee cup, topped it with coffee and gave it to Mara.

"Don't tell your Papa." Dean said sternly.

Mara took a sip and choked. "Jesus fucking Christ this will stunt my growth."

"Swear jar and you are five' ten" I don't think you need to worry about stunting at this point." Dean said.

Jody looked at Mara. "So a boy has you making all this racket in my garage at fuck o'clock in the morning?" Jody looked at Mara. "Not your style usually."

Mara flexed her fingers and Dean began to rub them. "Talk to us my girl."

"I asked Braeden to prom." Mara said after a few minutes of silence. "He laughed thinking it was a joke, and then laughed more when he realized I was serious. Told his friends and they all laughed too and now a bunch of people I thought were alright have decided they don't like me so much anymore." Mara shrugged. "I know I shouldn't let it bother me."

"Sure you should. And why would they laugh at that? Is it the idea of you in a dress, but not going to lie I can't picture that sweetie."

"No Dad." Mara rolled her eyes. "Braeden is an alpha."

"So?" Dean asked.

Jody smiled. Mara had no idea how lucky she was.

"Is it just Braeden?" Jody asked.

Mara shook her head.

"I don't understand." Dean admitted looking at the two of them.

"Go on Mara." Jody said. "You know your Dad. He'll say something embarrassing not mean."

"I like alphas." Mara said looking at Dean. "I don't like omegas, like at all. The idea of sex with them squicks me, they smell too sweet, it just makes me sick to my stomach when Craig or Ella get near their heat. But when I can smell a rut on someone...it's nice." Her cheeks are fiery red.

"Well sure, alphas are the bomb." Dean said. Both women groaned. "Oh what, you can't expect me to completely keep up on slang. I'm old, I'm cool, but I'm old."

"I got ten years on you Dean so how about you shut up." Jody said, hitting him. "Mara, it's okay."

"No, it isn't. I'm a freak." Mara said and she started to cry again.

Dean pulled her into his arms. "No baby, you are practically perfect in every way." He said as he rocked her a little. "We live in a good town, and generally people are cool, but there are always jackasses and you need bigger than this. More options. Your Papa and I have known since you were 5 you wouldn't be staying here. Much as we want to keep you close, we know you aren't ours to keep."

"I've been looking at colleges in Illinois." Mara said quietly. 

"Oh man." Dean said. "Why can't you go to Minneapolis like your brother and sister?"

"Because that's where my brother and sister went." Mara replied. "Dad..."

"Okay, okay. At least if you are in Chicago, Sammy can keep an eye on you. And it isn't that far a drive."

"Shorter flight." Mara said.

"Fuck you, not getting in one of those tin cans." Dean said.

"Swear jar Dad." Mara looked at him. "You don't mind?"

"About which part sweetie?"

"Either, both. Lots to dump on you." Mara looked at Jody. "Sorry about dumping on you too."

Jody shrugged. "Sleep is overrated."

"That's just not true, I could have used a hella lot more of it." Dean said. 

"Soon all the kids will be gone and you can sleep then."

Dean winced and rubbed his heart. "That was just mean."

"James won't go anywhere." Mara said.

"True." Both adults agreed. It was work just to get him to the city to visit his siblings.

Dean looked at Mara. "I'm an omega. I like alphas. Well mostly I like your Papa. Actually...I only like your Papa. He turns my crank." Mara groaned. "Yeah yeah. But the point is, what he makes me feel, I want that for all of you. So, if it is alphas that make you feel like that, well then, guess you should stick with them then. And as for Illinois, you best come home for long ass summer visits, and don't be surprised that I drop in to visit a lot. They have good pizza there." Dean said. "I just want you happy Mara. Don't care who or what does that so long as you have..."

"Consent and classic rock because the shit they make today hardly counts as music." Mara filled in the rest of the sentence that she had been hearing all her life.

"Good girl." Dean gave her an extra squeeze. "All good?"

"Getting there." She took another sip of the laced coffee. "How do you like this crap?"

"Acquired taste." Both adults said.

Dean looked at Mara. "If we are all done the serious part, can we now talk about seriously Braeden? The kid looks like he was dropped on his head a million times. You need better taste than that." Dean thought about it. "What about Clark, he seems a decent sort."

"Yeah, but thought he might be out of my league." Mara said. 

Dean hit her up the head. "You are Mara Katherine Lafitte there is no alpha out of your league, there is no one on this fucking planet that is out of your league. They are wishing they could be in your league. Ain't no one as gorgeous and clever and badass as you. You are going to be our benevolent evil overlord one day."

"I like to think I'm chaotic neutral." Mara said. "But thanks Dad."

"What I do. Just next time, can you have emotional crisis, revelation at night?"

"Nah, like make you suffer." Mara replied.

"I know." Dean sighed. "Jesus as a parent you sure as hell do reap what you sow. Gonna have to apologize to Bobby for my teen years."

Jody smiled. "You two should get home, Benny will be worried. And Mara looks well enough to go to school today. Show those idiots that they have no power over her."

Mara nodded. "Yeah. Yeah I'm fucking Wonder Woman, they ain't gonna take me down."

"Good girl." Jody said. "Go on, get you two. Think I'll wake up my husband for some fun." She winked and headed back to her house.

Dean and Mara went home where Benny was sitting in the kitchen, reading. He was relieved when he saw them. Mara hugged her Papa.

"I like alphas." She told him.

Benny glared a little. "You aren't allowed to like people, you are five."

Mara rolled her eyes. "I'm 17."

"Nope, I deny that." Benny said, even as he tightened his grip. "Wear a condom, invest in good quality lube, and be kind."

"I know." Mara replied. "Thanks Papa. Also I'm going to school out of state."

"Oh come on." Benny protested. "How the hell is that fair? No we are talking about this, no way are you going far away. End of discussion."

Dean watched the two bicker as Benny began to put together breakfast.

He was working in his shop a few hours later when he got a text.

 _Clark said yes_.

He smiled and texted back.

 _Of course he did, he's not an idiot like hit with the ugly stick Braeden. You can borrow the Impala for the night. You clean any stains in the back_. He laughed and waited.

Mara texted  _You are so gross._ 10 minutes later  _Love you Daddy_.

She hadn't called him daddy since she was 6.

Dean put the phone away and got back to work and tried not to think about how quickly his babies were growing up.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Dean got off the phone with the school and did an absolutely horrible happy dance. Benny was home from the diner for the exciting task of doing their taxes and just stared.

"Do I even want to know?"

"I need to go pick up James from school," Dean kept dancing.

"Why?" Benny started looking for his keys. "Fight, falling asleep in class, or leading a coup?"

"What are our lives that those seemed like the most logical conclusions for us to be called to the school for?" Dean wondered. "No, seems he has the early symptoms of a heat. His first heat Benny. James is an omega." Dean grabbed the keys off the wall rings.

"He's going to be in pain and confused and you are doing a happy dance?" Benny glared at his mate a little. "Dean, he's 13 - he's going to be terrified. You know how he is about things changing."

Dean sobered for a minute. "I know. I do babe. But -" Dean shrugged a little. "He never wants me. I mean he loves me and we have fun but this is something we have in common and I can help him with. He never wants my help with school or his stories, always goes to you for everything. And I just...it is nice to finally be the one he is going to need and rely on."

Benny smiled softly. "Cher, he adores you." He kissed Dean.

"I know that, just it would be nice if he liked me a little too." Dean leaned into his alpha. "Okay, I'm off. Get the stuff ready that he'll need, put it in his room and I'll be back with him soon." Dean headed out the door. He was going to win parent of the year with this, he just knew it.

He got to the nurse's station and knocked on the door quietly. He maybe hoped that James would run to him for a hug, but he was sitting there and scribbling in his notebook like normal.

"Word for stabbed that's not the word stabbed?" James asked.

"Gutted, cleaved, shanked, run through, gored, jammed?" Dean replied and was met with more furious scribbling. He looked at the nurse.

"He's just barely into his heat. Recognized the symptoms right off and came here." The nurse smiled. "Take him home."

"Thanks. Nice that you don't have to actually patch one of them up isn't it?" Dean teased the nurse who rolled her eyes. She got free pie every five visits from a Lafitte child. She got a lot of pie. "Come on James. Let's get you home." Dean went to touch James's hair, but the boy flinched away. Dean immediately stepped back. James had days where he hated to be touched and they really tried to respect his boundaries.

James packed up his stuff and followed his dad out to the car. He climbed into the passenger side and just sort of curled in on himself.

"Proud of you James for cluing in and taking care of yourself." Dean said as he put the car into drive. "Papa is getting your room ready for you and I'll talk you through any problems or questions. It's going to be okay."

"I know that." James said. "Why didn't Papa come to get me?"

"Thought I might be more comforting." Dean said. "I know what you are going through."

"Want Papa." James said quietly and Dean felt like his heart was stomped on a little.

"He's at home and we'll be there soon baby boy." Dean said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Sure." James said. 

They reached the house and James hopped out of the car and made a beeline for the kitchen where Benny was putting cookies into the oven. Benny got the hug that Dean had been hoping for. "Papa." James said relieved.

"Hey baby boy." Benny hugged him tight. He looked over James's head to Dean who looked sad but just waved it off. "Let your dad take you to your room, help you get settled okay?"

"No want you." James protested. 

"James, I'm not exactly an expert on what you are going through here. How about you let your dad -" But James just clung tighter.

"It's okay Benny, I'll take care of the cookies." Dean replied. "Go take James to his room, give him his box." Dean watched them leave and just leaned against a cupboard with slumped shoulders. Twenty minutes later the scent of his alpha surrounded him. Dean leaned back into the arms that encircled him.  "So much for the happy dance."

"To be fair, after we got to his room and I showed him his supplies, I got kicked out too." Benny said. He scented Dean's neck to soothe him a bit. "You know how private he is."

"I know." Dean agreed. "Just...a hug would have been great."

Benny hugged Dean tighter.

************************

The next three days Dean tried to be useful to his son and checked on him regularly but every knock on the door was met with either go away or a plea for Papa. Dean tried not to let it hurt, but he ended up spending a lot of time out in his wood shop.

Quinn came out and sat on the table while her dad burned symbols onto a box. She didn't say anything just sat there watching her dad work. "He's scared."

Dean looked at Quinn. "What do you mean?"

"Of disappointing you."

"What in the actual fuck?" Dean turned off his small flame and carefully put everything away. "5 kids and the only time any of you have ever disappointed me is when you decided that your dad's blueberry pie was superior to his apple."

"Dad." Quinn rolled her eyes.

"What? It's the wrong choice and threw that whole Christmas dinner off." Dean crossed his arms.

"Dad look at you." Quinn gestured at Dean and the whole room. "You are his image of like the perfect modern omega. What if he isn't like that? What if he doesn't handle his heat with jokes like you do? What if he doesn't find his perfect mate? What if he doesn't even want a perfect mate? What if he lets you down? With Papa there is less pressure in his mind because alpha, doesn't need to get it right for him."

"There's nothing to get right." Dean said. "He never could let me down, not with something like this."

"Yeah, well you know how it is when he gets an idea in his head." Quinn explained.

"Get your papa to take you and Mara out for the rest of the day, maybe night. Go bug Emma and Adam in the city." Dean suggested.

"Woot." Quinn said as she hopped down.

Within an hour they were gone. Dean began to make a simple light soup and realized this might be one of the first times he and James were completely alone in the house together. He set the food to simmer and went to knock on James's door.

"What?" James called out, his voice sounded tired, a bit thin.

"Winding down?" Dean asked.

There was silence for a bit. "Yeah."

"Take a nap and then have a shower. Soup will be ready for you then."

"K." was the only response.

Dean sat at the kitchen table and read and an hour later James came out wrapped in a blanket. He sat in his chair and looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"Gone to the city. I kicked them out." Dean explained. He made up a bowl for James and put it in front of him. "Eat."

James frowned. "What if I needed Papa?"

"You got stuck with me. Sorry."

"At least he made my favourite before he left." James muttered. It was his favourite - taco soup. He ate half a bowl before having to stop. "Can't do more right now."

"That's okay, first real food in a few days, half a bowl is great." Dean said. He cleared the table. "Come to the family room with me."

"Do I have to?" James asked.

"Ten minutes and then you can hide away again." Dean promised. James nodded and followed him down. Dean put on the animated Robin Hood, James's childhood favourite and James smiled a little.

"Drink some juice." Dean said quietly. James sipped the drink Dean handed to him. He waited for his dad to say something, but he just started whistling along to the movie. James snuggled into the sofa and decided to stay for a bit, he did love the movie. They both belted out the phony king of England song and for the first time in days James smiled at his dad.

"Quinn talked to me." Dean said never taking his eyes off the screen.

James groaned and wondered if he could get away with trying to escape. "Jeez when did she develop a big mouth."

"She was worried about you." Dean looked at him. "I'm sorry."

James looked confused. "For what?"

"For whatever I did that made you think I don't adore you the way you are."

James hid in his blanket a bit. "I know you love me. I just...it's just...it seems sometimes like...grrrrr." James yelled. "Why can't I get the words right? I get them right in my stories." He took a breath. "You nail this stuff. Every time, all the others, you just nail it. And what if I was the kid you fumbled on, or I didn't go about it right, or I don't even know. Biology is stupid."

"It is." Dean agreed. "You could never disappoint me. Not for anything, not at the core."

"Unless I say Phantom Menace is actually great."

"That's different." Dean said. "Baby boy, you are nothing less than the most perfect James to ever have existed. You are the best you."

"That was dopey."

"Not got your talent with words." Dean replied.

James was quiet. "You always have better synonyms than Papa when I ask for a word. Maybe the talent comes from you." James suggested. He watched the end of the movie. "I got scared that if I didn't handle this right, you would somehow be mad or something. I know you love me, just sometimes I get scared you might not like me, like the others."

Dean laughed a little. "I said the same to your Papa, at the start of this." He looked at James. "I'm always the one who has made you taco soup."

James smiled a little. He inched across the sofa a little, until he was almost touching his dad. "Maybe we could watch another movie? Secret of Nimh?"

"Sure." Dean agreed. 

They watched three movies and eventually James's head was on Dean's lap and Dean was stroking his hair. "I like you plenty baby boy."

"I like you too Dad." James said, half asleep.

"Awesome." Dean pressed play on a fourth movie.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey Dad," Quinn stomped her way into the kitchen and pulled off her boots. "Sorry about the delay."

"Hey it's your birthday dinner you say push it back by an hour we push it back." Benny replied easily. "But why the delay." Dean could be heard setting the dining room table.

"Went to see Dr. Pam." Quinn finished putting her stuff away.

"You okay?" Benny turned worried.

"Yeah, just had gone to get testing done, tired of waiting - found out today, I'm Beta." Quinn sniffed. "Yes, tell me that is Grandma's recipe for beans and rice."

Benny itched to hug his girl but she wasn't the hugging sort. "Are you okay Quinn?"

"Sure." She replied easily. "Just got tired of waiting, rather would have the hard data. Ready soon?"

"15 minutes." 

"Great." Quinn went running out of the room and Benny heard her attempt to tackle her dad. 

They celebrated her birthday as they had done with James the day before and Quinn loved her new model kits to build and hid a couple tears and the took box her dad had made her. She and James then retreated to the basement while Benny and Dean cleaned up. Benny told Dean what had Quinn had been up to.

"Oh man, but she's burying her feelings deep down. You know Quinn, hides it all and then it explodes at the paint ball course or something." Dean loaded the dishwasher.

"Talk to her Dean." Benny said.

"She likes talking less than Mara." Dean said. Benny gave him a look. "Trust me I know her."

"Talk to her, make sure she's okay or no pie for a month."

"What the hell?" Dean yelled, but Benny just glared at him. "Fine." Dean stomped over to the basement door. "Yo Quinn!" He yelled. "You okay with being beta?"

"Yup." Quinn yelled back up.

Dean stomped back over to his alpha. "There see?"

Benny just gave him the office stare. "All our other kids got messed up with presenting, and she's our last one. We are not going to let her be messed up." Benny growled.

Dean smiled. "Oh babe, you are worrying over nothing. If Quinn says she's fine, she's fine."

Benny shook his head, he was going to help Quinn.

***************************

"You know you could talk to Charlie and Gilda." Benny said as he picked up Quinn from her after school group activities.

"About what? D&D isn't for another week." Quinn wasn't really paying attention as she was of course texting with Simon.

"About being beta, what it means, anything you can expect." Benny said.

"Papa, what is there to talk about? I'm beta, you guys gave good sex ed, I've read everything relevant. No big deal." She giggled at whatever Simon had sent back.

"What about Adam? He went through this."

"Yeah and he punked out a bit, I'm chill." Quinn replied. 

"He didn't punk out, he just needed some space to sort out his feelings." Benny said sternly. "You don't make fun of your siblings for stuff like that."

"Yes Papa." Quinn said quickly. "Sorry, but seriously I'm okay."

They drove home in silence.

*************************

Benny woke up because of noise at the front of the house. Dean was snoring like mad beside him. Benny grabbed the baseball bat and went to investigate.

"Quinn, sweetie, what are you doing up?" Benny put the bat down.

"Got busy in shop class, forgot about this English essay." Quinn said. Benny looked at the books around her. 

"Did you even do the reading?" Benny sat down.

"Sort of? Almost mostly. I can fake it." Quinn said. 

"Not comforting to a parent."

"Then go back to sleep and pretend you didn't see this." Quinn said easily. "Or you can make me coffee while I try to knock out a B-"

Benny made her some coffee and brought it to her.

"Is this really about your homework? Or do you need to talk?"

Quinn looked at him. "Papa, I am fine. Other than trying to figure out themes in Hamlet beyond him being a weak sniveling cry Buffy."

"Quinn, it is okay to have feelings. And need to talk about them." Benny looked at her. "You don't have to be a Winchester."

"But I'm so very good at." Quinn replied. "Also I'm fine."

Benny threw up his hands and went back to the bedroom. He crawled into bed and wrapped himself around Dean, needing the scent of his omega.

"She really is okay Benny." Dean said sleepily.

"But what if she's not?"

"But what if she is?" Dean replied. "Always been different than the rest."

"Bloody Winchesters." Benny muttered. 

"You love it." Dean replied. "Keeps you on your toes."

"I'll keep you on your toes."

"oooh kinky." Dean kissed Benny and then decided to distract him from his worry.

****************************

Quinn woke up and stumbled to the kitchen a couple days later. "Bacon sandwich?" She asked hopefully.

Benny pulled out the fry pan. "Sleep well sweetie?"

Quinn looked at her Papa, who had been trying so hard to take care of her. She smiled while he wasn't looking and then grabbed the menthol she had stolen from the acting department. She sniffed it, and holy crap that stuff really worked. She began to sob. Benny dropped the pan and ran to her side and bundled her up, scenting her. 

"Quinn, baby?" Benny ran a hand down her hair.

"It's just so much Papa." She sobbed. "I don't know what to do, who I am anymore." She sobbed some more. "I am so lost and scared and feel so alone." Crap that might be over selling it.

And sure enough Benny pulled back a little. "You like being alone. If you had Simon and your brother, maybe your Dad you weren't care if the rest of the world burned."

"Hey that's not true." Quinn protested. "I'd want the whole family to be fine." Dammit she wished the tears would stop.

"Quinn." Benny said in full alpha parent voice.

She showed him the menthol stick. "Well you want me to need you and looked so bummed! Figured you were having like early empty nest syndrome - last of the pup's all grown up or some bullshit. Figured if I cracked like the rest and needed you, you would feel better."

Benny sighed. "Okay, yeah, maybe you are right."

"Course I am."

Benny lightly cuffed her up the head. "I'm sorry for bothering you. I just wanted you to be okay."

"I know Papa." Quinn hugged him. "I am okay though. Really."

"Really?" Benny asked.

"Really." Quinn promised. "Thought I could use a bacon sandwich."

"Yeah, yeah." Benny gave her a kiss and got up.

"Have to admit I got you good." Quinn said as he began to cook.

"Yup, scaring your parent always a fun thing to do." Benny said. Quinn just giggled.

She was giggling a little less the next week when she found out her Papa had signed her up to take a drama summer school class in revenge.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> last chapter is about dean and benny

Benny made waffles. Apple cinnamon waffles. It was barely dawn and he was making the batter like he had so many times before, aware that this was likely the last time.

"We can still have them whenever." Dean said coming up behind him. "I mean sure we only ever had them when I finished a heat, but doesn't mean we can't have them again."

"They are your woot we had two-three days of mindless sex and now I get celebratory waffles for still being upright waffles. Been that for almost 30 years." Benny replied. "And that is a direct quote. They are also known as Benny is a good lay waffles."

"Well then we should definitely have them more because ain't no one better than you in bed." Dean teased.

"How would you know?" Benny asked.

"Porn and gossip." Dean said happily. "Jody's husband, me and a couple others get together for a quilting bee."

"You don't quilt."

"Okay a bunch of us shoot the shit at the bar once a month when I say I'm going for a drive to clear my head." Dean said. He sniffled. "I'm sorry I've lied to you all these years."

Benny laughed. "You think Jody and I didn't know what you two were doing? We've both picked you up at the bar."

Dean hugged him tighter. "So make me my waffles."

"You got it cher." Benny agreed and poured the batter out.

They sat at the table and ate waffles and talked of nothing important. Dean cleared the dishes and then dragged Benny back to bed.

"You want more sex really?" Benny would give it a go but his back was frankly killing him.

"Hell no." Dean said as he sat down. "But a snuggle would be good. James will be bursting in soon to check on me. I think I left him a pretty weird message."

"Unless he got thinking. He has a deadline due soon." Benny got on the bed and snuggled Dean. "That boy needs a mate to look after him."

"He'll find one eventually." Dean said. "He's just waiting - like you."

"Those were awfully lonely years Dean, I don't want him to face those, especially because he doesn't even seem to be having fun like I did."

Dean growled a little, after all these years even a hint of a mention of Andrea bugged him. Benny rubbed a soothing hand over his shoulder.

"Shhh, cher." Benny whispered. "You know what I mean."

"He knows his own body and mind." Dean said. "Don't push him. Besides pretty sure Bad Dragon sex toys would go out of business without him."

"Oh god, how do you know that?" Benny groaned.

"We had a talk a few years ago, a real one. It was our 8th real talk. Helped him out once he got over freaking out."

"You count your real talks with James?"

"Like you don't with Quinn." Dean answered back. Benny couldn't disagree.

The stayed in the quiet for a little while.

"Pam said this would probably be it." Dean said quietly. "Called her when I started the symptoms. Since it had been a year and a half since my last heat, she said this was likely it, last flush of hormones, blah, blah, science, blah." Dean bit his lip. "So yeah need to switch the celebration cause for the apple cinnamon waffles."

"You okay cher?" Benny asked as he moved them so he was spooned against Dean nose pressed against his claim bite.

"I guess?" Dean said. "I don't know, had figured I was done with it and then boom this last hit of a heat and I have to deal with feels again. I hate goddamn feels like this. Feels are for my kids, Sam, your pie, and sports movies."

"You have more feels than that. You are all feels darlin."

"Take that back."

"Mushy gushy feels. All the feels, only feels all the time." Benny teased. "You are just a gooey ball of feels."

"Shut up." Dean grumbled. "I'm tough."

"You are." Benny agreed. "But tough guys still can be giant feels monsters."

"I have some feels." Dean admitted. "But I have no idea what they are."

"That's fine, you'll figure it out." Benny said. "Post waffle snuggle nap?"

"Sounds good babe." Dean agreed. 

**************************

Dean woke up to James poking him in the face. "Jesus, you haven't done that since you were 8. It was annoying then and it is annoying now."

"But I have a toy surprise for you!" James said cheerfully. "I got your message a couple days ago about not coming over and I actually remembered not to come over and why this would be different." James sounded so proud of himself. 

"Good for you baby boy." Dean said. "Now what's this about a toy surprise?"

"Called Emma and Aunt Jess about what you might need  _now that you've entered a new time in your life_." James said in a serious voice.

"You might be my son, and I might love you more than life, but that doesn't mean I won't kick your ass into next week." Dean warned. "Make me sound damn old there."

"Well..." James said. 

"Oh bite me." Dean replied. "It wasn't me who almost threw their back out during sex."

"Told Papa he needed to work out his core more." James said.

Dean tried not to laugh and finally noticed the gift basket at the foot of the bed. "Well, gimmie then."

James handed it over as Dean sat up. Dean tore the cellophane off and groaned at the medical pamphlets about dealing with his emotions and changes in his body no that heats were done. He crumpled them up and threw them at James's head. 

He paused at the pie flavoured lube sample pack.

"Well less slick now, so lube, because you aren't going to stop climbing Papa like a tree. I have like so much lube in here for you to figure out what you like. And pie flavoured!" James bounced a little on the bed. "Do you know how many emails I now get from sex shops, the coupons man, they are unending."

"Raising all of you to be open about sex and talk about anything with us was a big mistake." Dean said.

"Probably." James agreed. "But on the other hand, my reviews usually praise my awesome and realistic sex scenes, so you know balances out. Keep looking."

Dean found the paper with a hotel reservation. "What's this then?"

"So you and Papa can get away for a romantic weekend. You guys don't do it much and Jess said a time away to refigure it all out might be helpful." Dean pulled out a crow bar. "Uncle Sam said you didn't need romance you needed to beat something up."

Dean smiled. "Both sound good."

James got serious. "You okay Dad?" 

Dean thought about the care Benny gave him, and of James,  _James_ , being the one to come to support him, and of apple cinnamon waffles. He picked up the pie lube sample and sure enough apple was there. His grin was positively wicked. "Yeah baby boy, I'm gonna be just fine."

"Ew Dad, that's your thinking about Papa naked face. I'm out of here." James bolted from the room.

"If you see your Papa as you are running, send him on in!!!!!" Dean yelled after him. He sniffed the lube again. Yeah he was going to be okay.


End file.
